


Long Live the King

by pastandfuturequeen



Series: SW Finn Week 2017 [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Day 1: Historical AU, Finn Week 2017, Finn is a King, Gen, Royal Finn, swfinnweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 06:59:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11595336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastandfuturequeen/pseuds/pastandfuturequeen
Summary: Finn is about to be crowned King - bearing the legacy of his father and mother before him. He's nervous, and he needs some encouragement before he takes the crown.Finn Week 2017: Day 1 - Historical AU





	Long Live the King

Finn paced back and forth in his chamber, red cloak billowing behind him with each step. He took several deep breaths, trying to steady his breathing - to no avail. Finn was not usually this nervous. Not when he was sparring with his knights, not when he addressed his King, and not when he led his knights into battle. Yet now here he was, palms sweating beneath his gloves and stomach swirling with the nerves of a noblewoman’s introduction to court. The prince forced himself to take several deep breaths, ignoring the clamor of the servants outside his chambers as they scurried off to finish the details of the ceremony happening later that night.

The ceremony. The ceremony that would turn over the power from his aging father and into his hands. The ceremony where Finn would become King.

Finn needed a glass of water.

There was a knock at his door, and Finn whirled around, trying to compose himself into some semblance of nobility. He cleared his throat. “Enter,” he said. The woman at the other end opened the door and beamed at him, the hair at her temples having grown grey beneath the crown atop her head. “Mother,” Finn breathed in relief, his shoulders slumping forward.

The Queen closed the door behind her, extending her arms towards him. “My dear son,” she said, taking Finn into her arms. Finn held her close, taking comfort in the power, grace, and poise the woman always carried with her. He let out a sigh and stepped back, though his face was still worried. “You’re nervous?” It was more of a statement than a question.

Finn nodded anyways, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Yes,” he said. “I am.”

The Queen smiled kindly upon her son, brushing delicate fingertips across his forehead. “It takes a strong man to admit that sort of fear,” she said.

“That is what you and my father have taught me,” he said with a smile.

His mother beamed at him, taking his hands in both of hers. “You make me so proud, my son.”

Finn looked down at their clasped hands, fear gripping his heart. “You’re not worried I’m going to let you down?” he muttered.

The Queen pressed a delicate hand against his chin, drawing his eyes up to meet hers. She leveled a cool gaze over him. “My son, I know in my heart that you are ready to achieve your birthright and lead our kingdom to prosperity - perhaps even to heights greater than what your father and I have achieved over the last forty years,” Finn’s heart swelled with joy, left to mingle in his stomach amidst the nerves. They battled like enemy kingdoms, one gaining territory at one moment and falling back in the next. The Queen paused, holding her son’s gaze. “Yet it doesn’t matter what I know or think - only what you are willing to believe. A true ruler must be sure of their decisions, because if they are not then how can they expect their people to trust them with their crops, their lives? You must be sure in every decision you make. Do you understand, my son?”

Finn nodded, shaking himself of the indecision that had plagued him just moments before. He was his mother’s son - the Crown Prince, soon-to-be King of their lands. He had to be strong for his people - he had to protect his people, who trusted him to lead them. Finn took a breath, his heart beginning to beat steady for the first time in the past hour. “I understand, Mother,” he said dutifully.

“Good.”

-

The hours passed quickly and at last it was time for the coronation. The hall was packed with attendants, ranging from visiting court nobility all the way to knights, castle servants, and even various commoners packet at the back, peering as close as they dared. Finn approached the throne where his father sat and kneeled on one knee before him.

The King rose, as did the rest of the attendees, their heads bowed in the presence of their King and the Crown Prince. The King stepped down towards his son, unsheathing his sword. Finn remained kneeling. He felt the cool press of the steel against his shoulders, resting a beat before moving before him. “Stand,” he ordered. Finn obeyed, his red cape draped across the steps behind him. His father sheathed his sword, grabbing the golden orb and sceptre from the royal priest and pressing them each into his hands. Finn swallowed at the sight of the amount of pride in his father’s gaze.

“Prince Finn,” the King said, voice ringing loudly in the silent hall. “Do you solemnly swear to faithfully uphold the Kingdom of the British Isles?”

Finn swallowed, his voice clear. “I do.”

“Do you swear, to the best of your ability, to preserve, protect, and defend your people, so long as you shall live?”

Finn’s voice was louder, bolder. “I do.” The nerves were gone, replaced with a calm assurance of which he had not felt before.

The King smiled at him, his face wrinkled yet proud. “Then here, before this Kingdom, I turn over the power and the faith of our people to you.”

Finn bowed his head forward before his father. The gold of the crown lay cool against his skin. Finn turned to face his people, holding his head high.

“From today onwards, you are King Finn of the British Isles.”

“Long live the King!” someone shouted from the crowd.

The rest of the attendees joined in. “Long live the King!” they cried.

Finn felt the familiar press of his father’s hand upon his shoulder, his voice ringing out louder than Finn had heard it in years. “Long live the King!”

King Finn looked out at his people, finally at peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Finn's official title comes from mandalorianfinn's edit on tumblr, a marvelous work that all of you should check out.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to leave kudos, comments, and criticism below!


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